Manufacturing of Al/SiCp composite foams using calcium carbonate as foaming agent

The aluminium composite foams reinforced by different volume fractions of SiC particles were manufactured with the direct foaming route of melt using different contents of CaCO 3 foaming agent. The density of produced foams changed from 0·43 to 0·76 g cm −3 . The microstructural features and compressive properties of the Al/SiC p composite foams were investigated. Compressive stress–strain curve of Al/SiC p composite foams is not smooth and exhibits some serrations. At the same relative density of composite foams, the plateau stress of the composite foams increases with increasing volume fraction of SiCp and decreasing weight percentage of CaCO 3 . The relation between plateau stress, relative density, weight percentage of CaCO 3 and SiCp volume fraction of Al/SiCp composite foams with a given particle size was investigated.